ON THE FEN REEDLING, 
(Salicaria Arundinacea, Selby), Reed-Wren, or Reed-Warbler, 
of other Ornithologists. 
By Edward Blyth. 
Having some reason to suspect that this lively little songster is more gene¬ 
rally diffused over, the country than is commonly supposed, and apprehending that 
few distinguish its chant from that of the Sedge Reedling (S. phragmitisj, I am 
induced to offer a few observations to the attention of naturalists residing in dis¬ 
tricts where it has been hitherto undiscovered, in the expectation that they will lead 
to its detection in many localities where its presence has, as yet, been quite un¬ 
suspected. 
Of course it is unnecessary here to describe the plumage and technical cha¬ 
racter of the species, as these will be found in most works on British ornithology. 
Bewick, however, omits to figure the bird, but annexes its name to a represen¬ 
tation of the Sedge Reedling, obviously confounding the two together. The 
Sedge Reedling abounds in watery situations all over the country, even to the 
northernmost districts of Scotland ; and no person of the least observation can 
be otherwise than familiar with its abrupt and chattering, but certainly not un¬ 
pleasing, song, with which it incessantly enlivens every ditch, continuing to do so 
until about the middle or latter end of June ; after that time it is seldom heard. 
It is a strange medley of a song, though, at the same time, it is altogether original; 
combining a characteristic chiddy , clniddy , chit, chit , chit , with a very sparrow¬ 
like chou , chou , and an occasional and emphatic peet-weet , reminding one forcibly 
of the Chimney Swallow. Then comes, perchance, a series of harsh, jarring 
tones, followed, perhaps, by a seeming imitation of something else ; and not unfre- 
quently the bird mounts, singing, a little way into the air, or chirrups as it flits 
from bush to bush, or from willow to willow. I am sure that there are very few 
who will not immediately recognize it from this description; more particularly if 
they have been accustomed to perambulate marshy and sedge-tufted places, during 
the spring and summer. 
The extremely passerine character of many of this little bird’s chirpings, have 
gained for it, in various places, the vulgar appellation, “ Reed Sparrow just as 
the homely garb and familiar manners of the common Hedge Dunnock, another 
bird of slender bill, have occasioned the equally erroneous but popular name, 
a Hedge Sparrow,” to be its ordinary cognomen. 
Now, I certainly am not one of those who are willing to accept any kind of 
name, merely because it chance to be popularly applied. Undoubtedly there 
should be some rules for nomenclature, some system to regulate caprice. If any 
VOL. i. 
F 
